


The Perch

by cerberus_angel, SapphireBlueJiyuu



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-23 15:37:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/928202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cerberus_angel/pseuds/cerberus_angel, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphireBlueJiyuu/pseuds/SapphireBlueJiyuu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the corner of Harbor and Park Avenue there is a very exquisite luxury apartment complex called "The Perch". For the most part, the neighborhood is secured, quiet, and safely patrolled by the local authorities. But when a string of home invasions began to pop up all over the city, the residents of "The Perch" decided that it was time to stand up for their homes. </p>
<p>Yet, not everyone is as forthcoming with their support... though, perhaps, a little incentive is really all the situation needs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was the picturesque, high-end apartment with a stunning view of Kings Landing that convinced Robb to pay the outrageously expensive monthly rent. 

What he did not know was in the bargain was a handful of bizarre neighbors. Each floor only had four studio apartments and as lavish as that may seem, Robb wondered if maybe the building manager had a vendetta against him. His neighbor to his right was an old washed-up screenplay writer who was living off the royalties on the one book series that had made him famous. Most of the time, he graciously ignored the Stark boy. Yet, Robb remembered the first day he had moved in and decided to introduce himself to his neighbors, since there was only three doors to knock on total, and when he went to knock on Mr. Martin's door, Robb came face to face with a very disgruntled looking Santa Clause. He was drunk and shooed Robb away saying that he did not want to deal with ghosts haunting him that morning.

Across the ways from Robb's studio, was Ms. Norris, a blind old woman with half a dozen cats and always smelled of Vicks vapor rub. When Robb first met her, he was attacked by her ugly, mangy looking tabby named Frey and decided that he will do everything in his power never to visit her again.

But perhaps the most dangerous of all his neighbors lived adjacent from his apartment in the form of a five foot-five inched twenty-one year old political science major.

Myrcella Baratheon.

She was without a doubt the most dangerous entity living in the entire building.

* * *

Robb was making dinner for himself one evening when a knock on his door bought him out of his zone. Turning the heat off, he removed the pan off the stove before he walked to open the door. 

She was standing there, bright green, doe-like eyes staring up at him, causing his brain to momentarily short-circuit.

“Hi,” she smiled nervously before handing him a flyer. Robb looked down at the paper that read “THE 9TH FLOOR'S FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAIBLE AT THE MEETING.”

Robb didn't know how to respond to the invite but allowed the girl in front of him to speak, “There's been a lot of break-ins and home invasions lately around the neighborhood.”

“Yeah, I've been seeing that on the news.” Robb replied cautiously.

Myrcella gave an empathetic nodded before continuing, “That's why I decided that maybe we should be doing something about it.”

Robb tried to imagine a night where he will be spending the night with Mr. Martin's strange hallucinations and Ms. Norris's cat stories and immediately began to make his excuses.

Myrcella looked at him with concern. “Kings Landing is a dangerous place to be in without a friend watching your back.”

“It's also dangerous to let somebody who acts like a friend have the best vantage point to stab you in the back.”

Myrcella narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her. “You're not very trusting of me, are you, Robb Stark?”

“Trust is earned, Myrcella. And, you being all Lannister already puts you two steps behind Mr. Martin and Ms. Norris's ugly tabby.”

His words should have sparked a hint of irritation in her, but instead Myrcella welcomed them as a challenge. She cocked her hip to one side and leaned her weight on one leg as her free hand came to rest on her waist.

Robb gulped when he noticed her bright green, doe-like eyes darken with a predatory glint.

“You forget that I’m half Baratheon,” The smirk that slowly curved on her lips had the hairs on the back of Robb’s neck rise. “Our fathers are close friends.”

When she leaned forward slightly, Robb was tempted to take a step back because whenever he was close to her feelings that should not be there begin to surface and wants begin to take root. But not even the added distance he would have been able to stop the palpitations she sent directly to his heart.  “Like you said our fathers are, not us.”

“Pledge your friendship to me and I promise that I will not betray you,” she continued undaunted by his words, her stance softened and her smirk turned to a sheepish smile, “at least not intentionally because we both know how things can happen unintentionally.”

Robb mentally cursed as he found himself fighting back a smile of his own. He was not supposed to find her sudden change in moods endearing. “I’ll think about it.”

“Which one?”

“Both of your propositions.” She beamed at him. “I said I’d think about them, I didn’t say yes.”

“I know, but you didn’t flat out say no either.”

That was only because she made it so bloody difficult, but he wasn’t about to tell her that.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Since that night, Robb had been pacing his apartment, thinking and debating until he could think no more. He hated that she had this effect over him. Years ago, she was nothing more than frizzy haired, braces wearing 'Cella. The smart, shy daughter of Robert Baratheon, Robb's father's best friend. At holiday functions and events, where the two families came together to celebrate an engagement or a birthday or sunny weather, he's always known that she kept to herself mostly, only talking with her younger brother Tommen and Robb's younger sister, Sansa. Robb never paid her much attention, finding the allure of more traditionally attractive, busty girls around his age far more appealing than the young bookworm with a heart of gold.

Needless to say, after he left for college, he had not seen Myrcella since. And she had done quite a bit of growing since then. Gone were the braces, leaving in its wake a stunning smile. Her waves of silky golden hair had replaced the unmanageable frizzy tress; it would shimmer and shine in the sunlight like a curtain of Lannister gold. And if it was just her beauty that improved with age, Robb would be over her in a heartbeat. But she had to grow as a person too, making her far more appealing than anything her beauty could offer. She was smart, hard working, kind, and boundlessly sympathetic if her taking extra care of Ms. Norris the other night was any indication. She truly cared about making the neighborhood a safer place and, if she had it her way, Robb was sure that she would try with all her strength and resources that she would make the entire world a better place!

It was that type of inspiring work that made him pause in front of her door on Wednesday night with a small box of lemon cakes, debating whether he was making a mistake or not. Before he could second guess himself any longer, his arm had a mind of its own and decided to knock on the door for him. 

A few moments later, Myrcella, in a bright orange skirt and a beige button-up blouse, opened the door.

“Robb.” She really shouldn’t have been so surprised to see him, but she couldn’t help it considering she had been preparing herself for him not to show. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

“I told you I would think about it.”

“True, but you didn’t say ' _yes_ '.”

“I know,” a small smile graced his lips, “but I didn’t flat out say ' _no_ ' either.”

Myrcella would not have been able to stop the smile that blossomed across her lips even if she tried when she heard him utter her words back at her. There was no deny the way her heart skipped a beat or how she felt her face heat up considerably.

Robb felt a bit more confident when he saw her blush, for the first time feeling that they were in the same level and he wasn’t the only one being affected by being in close proximity with her. It went both ways. He held up the small box of lemon cakes. “I even brought a peace offering.”

“What is it?” Myrcella asked curiously as she looked at the box.

“Lemon cakes.” The words had barely left his lips when the box was snatched out of his hands.

“You may enter.” Myrcella stepped aside to give him space to enter as she held the box of lemon cakes carefully in her hands.

Robb made a mental note to bring lemon cakes if he wanted to be in Myrcella’s good graces as he stepped into her apartment. He glanced over his shoulder to see Myrcella looking at the box of lemon cakes adoring and remembers hearing his mother tell his younger sister Sansa that a way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. Robb wondered fondly if perhaps the same could be applied to a woman as he watched Myrcella.

Myrcella contemplated if it was impolite to take one right now. She had sworn off lemon cakes months ago after her mother saw her eating one and told her, “a moment on the lips is a lifetime of the hips”. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what she meant. Myrcella was taken from her thoughts when the sudden sensation of being watched had the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Temptation was the last thing on her mind as she looked up to meet Tully blue eyes. The gentleness in them had her heart pounding at a much faster, harder and louder rate. How could something so gentle invoke such a violent reaction from her?

“What is it?” she instantly regretted asking the question when the gentle look in his eyes vanished and was replaced by mirth.

“It’s nothing.” Robb chuckled as he shook his head amused.

And yet Myrcella didn’t believe him for a second as she closed her door. 

"You're a bit early. Mrs. Norris still has to feed the cats and Mr. Martin said that he won't be home from an event until  9:30 so we have a little over an hour before either one of them arrives." Myrcella placed the appetizing sweets on the counter before she made her way to her wine cabinet. "Would you like some wine?"

Robb tried his best not to stare at her too blatantly as she flitted about the kitchen, collecting a pair of wine glasses and juggling a tray of fresh fruits. He moved forward to offer her a hand when there was a knock on the door. "Oh. Could you get that for me, Robb?"

He debated whether answering someone else's door for them was a good think (people will most likely talk) but his gentlemanly manners surfaced at once as he made his way to the door. From behind the door, Ms. Norris gave him a predatory grin. "Oh my. I hope I'm not disturbing you two." She shouted over Robb's shoulder as he tried to defend both Myrcella and himself, "I CAN COME BACK, MYRCELLA, IF YOU'RE NOT DRESSED!"

Myrcella, unfazed at all by the wild accusation, shook her head with a smile as she joined Robb in the foyer to welcome Ms. Norris in. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Ms. Norris, but I am very much clothed and there is none of that going on. Mr. Stark has been nothing but a gentlemen. Look he's even brought lemon cakes."

"Oh good. Bring me a spot of brandy, Myrcella darling. I'll be needing it if I'll have to be dealing with Mr. Martin for more than five minutes." Ms. Norris said as she shuffled her way to one of the four chairs that circled around the dining table. Robb, not wanting to deal with "the cat lady", retreated into the kitchen after Myrcella just in time to see her open a half empty liter of cola. And from the sound of the short-lived fizz when she poured it into a tumbler, he could tell the poor drink was flat. "You're serving her cola? Isn't she going to know that that's not brandy?"

Myrcella smiled coyly at him shaking her head, "Her taste buds were all messed up when she burned it eating fire roasted marshmallows. So, to her, flat soda tastes similar enough to brandy. It's a little more healthy for her heart than alcohol. And, besides, after two or three of these, she starts to act like she's drunk and that is a scene I could not deprive you of experiencing. "

Unable to help himself, Robb laughed as he watched her curiously place some ice cubes into the drink before bringing it to the table for the older woman. Every time Robb thinks he's got her figured out, she does something that completely throws him for a loop. And he't not sure if that was such a bad thing. 

“Come on.” Myrcella winked at him as she walked out the kitchen with the drink in her hand.

Robb fought back a smile when he noticed the slight bounce in her step and remained silent when she handed the “spot of brandy” to Ms. Norris. He was sorely tempted to grin when she drank it with gusto and sighed.

“That hits the spot.” Ms. Norris handed her glass back to Myrcella. “Would you be a sweetheart and pour me another one.”

“Of course.”

Robb was surprised to see the affectionate smile Myrcella directed at Ms. Norris as she grabbed the glass and headed back to the kitchen. It was only when Ms. Norris cleared her throat he realized he was in an impasse. He could go into the kitchen and avoid the older lady for a few more moments, but in the end he would still have to be around her later.  _No can ever accuse me of not being brave._ Robb glanced at Ms. Norris to see her knowing smiles.  _May the Old Gods and the New help me._

“Mr. Stark,” The elderly woman motioned to the chair across from her on the dining table. “would you be so kind to keep an old lady company?”

“Ms. Norris, please call me Robb.” He took a seat and smiled at her in a charming matter. “It would be a pleasure.”

“Now I know you’re just trying to butter me up.” She chuckles. “You remind me so much my Frey.”

The Stark could have sworn he heard a snicker from the kitchen.

“He’s a sweetheart.”

Robb grimaced as he remembered how her tabby looked like. His right hand twitched in response from when her sweetheart Frey had sunk his claws into it. He mentally patted himself on the back when he didn’t curse up a storm and instead grabbed the ugly, mangy looking tabby by the scruff of his neck. The glare the cat had given him would have been comical if it hadn’t drawn out blood. Ms. Norris had somehow thought the exchange was of them bonding, but then again she had warned him of her poor eyesight and seemed to have misplaced her glasses. After helping look for her glasses, while having Frey viciously latch onto his leg, Robb said his farewell, but not before giving Frey a hard look when the cat seemed to grin at him as it curled on his owner’s lap.

“He’s very protective as well.”

“I know he is.” He even had the scars for a few days to prove it.      

“So tell me Robb,” Ms. Norris grabbed one of the small plates Myrcella had set on the dining table and began to grab a lemon cake along with some of the fresh fruit. “How long ago did you arrive?”

Robb glanced toward the kitchen doorway knowing that Myrcella should have already been done preparing the drink already. “Just a few minutes ago.”

“Don’t you mean few hours ago?”

“Ye—no.” His gaze swung back to the elderly lady alarmed. "No, Ms. Norris. I literally arrive mere minutes before you did." Robb said in defense. "Myrcella can conc-" 

"Ah! So it's first name basis with you two now is it? My isn't that... promiscuous?" Ms. Norris said, wagging her eyebrows suggestively.

Robb fought the urge to groan. Where was Myrcella with that damn flat cola! 

The heaven sent voice from the kitchen filtered into the small living area. "Now, now, Ms. Norris. I had to work very hard to get Mr. Stark to attend tonight's meeting, so please refrain from scaring him off." 

"I was only trying to-"

Just then, a knock came from the door and Myrcella frowned as she looked up at the clock that hung on the wall behind Robb. "Huh. That must be Mr. Martin. He's really early..." Myrcella muttered as she got up and walked to the door.

"Ha! Of course he doesn't show up when he's suppose to! Damn idiot probably said he was going to get here later but in actuality he's just late."

Robb was hardly paying attention to Ms. Norris ramblings as he heard the muffled sounds of a slurred, male voice and Myrcella comforting said person.

The young Baratheon girl helped her guest into her apartment, across the ways from her kitchen, taking most of his weight and steering in the right direction before they disappeared from sight into another room. Robb hadn't noticed that he had been staring at them until he turned back to the table and saw Ms. Norris grinning at him. "Yes?" He asked nervously.

"If I'm right in the mind, and I am most of the time, that should have been her bedroom." Ms. Norris said smugly. "You aren't worried that your little ray of sunshine is "taking in strays"?" 

Robb frowned at the older lady's suggestion. "Ms. Norris, I do not appreciate what you are implying about Mrycella. You are questioning her honor and intelligence and integrity-"

"Who's integrity?" Mrrcella asked as she took her seat at the table once again. 

He didn't answer immediately just stared at the woman in front of him for a long moment before he said, "May I have a word with you? In the kitchen."

Myrcella raised a delicate eyebrow before she gently pushed her chair back and motioned for him to lead the way. Once they were both inside the kitchen, Robb try to decide what the most tactful way of breaching the topic would be. 

"Who was that guy that you just took into your bedroom?"

' _Nailed it..._ '

Myrcella seemed taken aback by the sharpness of his tone. "Uhm, Trystane. He's a friend of mine. Just got out of a bad breakup and has been... letting himself go a bit. He lives on the 12th floor of this building but he didn't want to be alone so he comes by here when he's been drinking." Myrcella's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Robb shook his head, trying but greatly failing at acting cavalier about the whole subject, "Nothing... I was just worried that the head of the Neighborhood Watch was taking in every Jack with a sob story that knocks on her door. Wasn't sure how qualified you were for the position, is all."

"I am more than capable of handling this position, Robb." Myrcella quipped.

"I don't think you understand what this position actually implies," Robb threw back at her.

"Are you children talking about sex?" came the voice of Ms. Norris from the living room.

"No!" they both shouted back at the elderly woman.  

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! We hoped you enjoyed our little seek preview of our first collaborative story. We are having so much fun writing this that we couldn't wait to share it with all of you! Let us know what you think of it and see you in chapter 2!


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